She glanced sideways at her friend. “Just barely. Please hurry.”
“Ma’am? Is there anyone still inside the building?”
“What?” Felice’s brain wasn’t registering right. “What did you say?”
“Did everyone get out? Of the burning building?”
Oh God. KJ and Garrett? Had they come back last night? Her brain was foggy.
“I’m not sure,” Felice said. “Hurry, please.”
She turned to Livvy, whose eyes were open but unfocused. “Liv. I’ve got to go find KJ and Garrett. Will you be okay here?”
Livvy’s head lolled back against the tree trunk. “Uh-huh.” She coughed, bent forward at the waist, and vomited.
“Oh my God,” Felice muttered. She pulled up the hem of her friend’s T-shirt and gently dabbed the vomit away from her mouth and face.
“Stay here,” she said.
She was dizzy and so unsteady on her feet. Slowly, she forced herself to move back toward the dorm. Smoke was pouring fromthe broken windows. She paused, trying to reorient herself, but the world seemed to be at a tilt, like she was walking in a carnival funhouse.
Felice tried to think. Where were KJ’s and Garrett’s rooms? Finally, she thought she’d regained her bearings. Their rooms were on the other side of the building.
She was so tired, she wanted to slump down to the ground and go back to sleep. But she picked up the lamp and forced herself to keep moving.
When she found what she thought was the right window she swung the lamp hard, repeating the action she’d used on her own window.
Smoke poured from the room, and the heat was intense.
“KJ!” she screamed. “Garrett!”
No answer, and she could see flames licking at the doorway. The heat drove her backward, away from the window.
Felice staggered on toward the next window. She paused, gulping for air, exhausted from her efforts, and in that moment, the window blew open, showering her chest and face with bits of glass. Smoke and flames shot out.
Her lizard brain kicked in again.
A hose. Hurry. Find a hose. Put out the fire.
There was a faucet on the exterior wall nearby, but no hose. The fire was spreading. If KJ and Garrett were in those rooms, there was no way they could be rescued. Not by her.
Get away.
She staggered away, maybe a hundred yards. She bent at the waist, her hands on her knees, and puked, the vomit splattering on her legs and her chest.
Her face was cut and bleeding. Her head was throbbing.
Her lizard brain had one more thought.
Your friend needs you.
CHAPTER 64
Half walking, half crawling, Felice made it back to where she’d left Livvy, who was now slumped sideways on the ground.
She pulled her back upright, leaning her against the tree, and not so gently slapped her cheeks. “Livvy! Come on, girl. Wake up!”
Livvy’s eyelids fluttered open. “Hey,” she said weakly.
